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Hey! Your new gerbils are very adorable :)

The cage you have now is a good starter cage, but should not be used for long term housing. Gerbils are desert animals, meaning they are better suited in an environment in which they can burrow. My suggestion is a simple 10 gallon tank for now. 10 gallons is the recommended size for two gerbils, 20 gallons for 3, you get the point. Just go to your local pet store and buy a 10 gallon tank and a tank lid (these should be in the reptile section). Then fill it with ASPEN bedding. Pine and Cedar are deadly to gerbils, because the dust from them will affect their respiratory systems. If you want, you can get a tank topper to expand the size of their cage like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Chew-Proof-Sm-High-Rise/dp/B0027J381U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406524528&sr=8-2&keywords=gerbil+tank

Gerbils will chew the living day light out of those plastic stairs, which they could ingest and have some serious medical consequences.

Something that you probably know, but is always good to reiterate, and is different for all gerbils, give them time to settle in. Lots of gerbil related fatal diseases are stress induced, so make sure they have a week or two to get situated, and then introduce yourself by hand feeding them treats, like pumpkin seeds.

Good luck with your new buddies. You'll love them as much as I love mine :)

It shouldn’t be, they’re naturally very social! The best way to introduce a second would be to look into the split cage method. If you can, separate the tank in half using wire - like a mesh screen or part of an old hamster cage - so that they can see and smell each other but not touch. You keep them like that for a while until they are comfortable and in the meantime swap toys between each side or even swap which side each critter is on until they’re comfortable with the scent.

If you can, a bigger enclosure is always better, but my girls did just fine in a 10gal for a while before I was able to upgrade. A cheaper way to get more space is a cage topper - something like this, I’ve used this one and found some similar in stores for around $20 USD. You can put the wheel and food up there and give them more room at the bottom for deeper bedding, they love to tunnel!

On that note Carefresh is a great bedding. Some people like to mix in aspen wood chips or Timothy hay for a little variety.

Your lil dude may or may not use the wheel, some gerbils love them and others are indifferent. I’ve found wooden wheels to be loud but the thinner plastic ones are chew hazards. I’m using a silent runner now (not silent spinner!) which, though still plastic, is thicker with a metal base and no exposed axle, and is extremely quiet

A playpen is awesome! Depending on the one you get they might be able to jump it. But this one is a good one to start with. It should be easy to find in stores though.

Just make sure it's not on carpet! Blankets/clothes are fine if you can wash them. Or any washable surface. I think there's one that comes with a plastic cover too. I recommend keeping the door closed too - they are fast when they escape. But if it's set up right and someone's watching them you and he gerbs should be fine.

I highly recommend putting some hiding spots and wooden toys in there. Silent spinners (or similar type wheels) are great too. Just remember to ALWAYS supervise them! I had a female who always jumped out just to jump back in her tank. I think you can safely use and put in plastic houses and such, but test it out first. Personally, all 10+ I've put in a play pen through the years have never chewed anything but food or the fabric(if any) they were on. If they don't chew the plastic it's fine to be in there. But not their tanks of course.

It's funny to see them mark everything too. They have scent glands on their bellies which they mark their territory with. So if you see them drag their bellies it's fine. It's quite funny actually.

Sorry about the creeping - I was mainly looking at your user history to see if you have ever posted anything about your gerbil before. I thought I might be able to give you better advice if I knew more about her.
What kind of houses to you give her that she chews up overnight? This is what my gerbils house looked like after about You could get her a house made out of hard wood or a coconut shell. My gerbils love both to hang out. I've also seen people use a flower pot with a hole. You'd also have to supply her with something to actually built a nest. Plain, unscented toilet paper would be good enough. She'll shred it and built her nest out of it.
You can also give her sticks you find outside to chew on. If you want to, I could try explaining how to make sure they are safe and mite-free. The safest way, however, would be to buy sticks like these, even though they are sort of expensive.

I would really recommend more bedding so she can burrow.

One of my boys lost his top front teeth as well. They fell out on their own after a few days of difficulty eating (not sure how he broke them).

It took several weeks before the teeth were grown back in to a usable length. During that time, he was on a diet of omnivore power and herbivore powder. Basically mixed it around 1:1 ratio and added a couple drops of water to make an easy to eat paste. It worked super well; he continued to have tooth issues on and off for the rest of his life, and that mix was often an important part of his diet. The omnivore powder has to be through a vet (they may have it, or can order it for you).

You can try crushing some food as well; my boy was able to eat hard foods as long as they were small enough that he didn't need to use the front teeth to break it into bites! Potentially soaking his regular food in water (or even a low sodium broth) could work, but my boy didn't care for it.

Some meat, egg, bread, noodle, rice, vegetables are alright to help keep interest in food and weight up; fruits are kinda heavy on the sugar and moisture. Baby foods like "Brown rice and Turkey" are okay in moderation too, but probably not a good idea long term.

I highly recommend a scale to keep track of weight. I got this cheap scale. Weight loss is expected (a few grams), but too much more isn't good.

Best of luck.

Edit: added a little for the next time I copy and paste my comment :)

Thanks so much for your great response. I wish I've would seen it earlier. I just ordered this cage for a 10 gallon aquarium. I hope they do well in this habitat. I will take care of the guys, if I feel they are unhappy, I will expand their home. Again, thanks.

I have a 10 gallon tank with a wire cage topper. Wire is best that way they don't eat everything that is plastic. It has worked pretty well and I think they like being able to climb.
Best I can do for a link on my phone to the topper I have:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0027J381U/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1380680596&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Sure!

I buy practically everything on Amazon and these would be my top recommendations:

Hidey Hut - this is large enough to fit two grown gerbils and my first survived the chewing for close to 4 years.

Small Animal Pet Playpen/Exercise Pen - this is just tall enough for the jumpers. I've still had some be able to reach the top but it is a struggle and you'd be able to catch them in time. Really sturdy as well.

Kordon/Oasis (Novalek) SOA80304 Bell Bottle and Hold Guard Small Animal Value Set, 4-Ounce - this is by far my favorite recommendation of the bunch. I cannot tell you how many water bottles were just destroyed and I would come home to an empty bottle and a very wet gerbil. This thing is impenetrable!

Kaytee Hamster Silent Spinner, 6 1/2 inch Exercise Wheel - although I've had to buy a couple of these (they will chew the yellow part holding the bottom part to the wheel) I find that this is the sturdiest of them all. It becomes less silent the more they chew on it and push it around but it's never been loud enough to be considered especially annoying.

Great for cleaning cage and is safe

As far as dust baths go, I've tried several different kinds and find them all to be equivalent.

Would not recommend:

Ware Manufacturing Flying Saucer Exercise Wheel for Small Pet - the quality is fine here but if you are using carefresh, it gets buried and doesn't allow any give for it to spin.

Kaytee Woodland Get-A-Way Medium Hamster House - quality here is also fine and it's pretty thick so it would take a while to get them to chew. Since it is wood, it absorbs liquids. My gerbils would pee on it and it got to the point that it looked moldy and unhealthy so I just threw it out.

Alfie Pet by Petoga Couture - GARI Wood Hut for Small Animals like Dwarf Hamster and Mouse - Size: Large - this is the cutest little home I've ever seen. I had to eventually throw out though because the wood was so thin that the back wall collapsed due to their chewing and would no longer stand up.

Prevue Pet Products Multi-Color Small Pet Playpen 40090 - I think the quality is here too. It's just too short. My gerbils were easily able to escape this.

GreatChoice Water Bottle - chewed through in a week and Same

Perhaps something like this?

I've seen these metal aquarium cage toppers around and it seems like it might be a good solution. It gives them a lot more space to run around by extending the whole thing upwards and stops them from escaping at the same time.

Personally, I have an Ikea Hacked Detolf cage for my two gerbils that I love. It's just the shelf without the middle put in place and the entire thing turned on its side. I have a metal grate piece I put on top to stop them from escaping. Gives them a HUGE area to run. Not portable, of course.

I would also suggest perhaps looking into getting a second gerbil. Unlike hamsters, they are VERY social. With a little lady buddy, she might be less stressed when you are out so much and may spend less of her day chewing her way out to try and escape.

Buy 4 single tiles from your local hardware store. Keep one tile in the cage, one on standby and two in the freezer. The tile in the cage will always be slightly cooler than anything around it so the gerbils can spread out on it to cool themselves off. After a few hours, the tile will have absorbed the heat produced by your gerbils, so switch it out with the other tile on standby. If it gets really hot, pull out the tile from the freezer and push it against the outside of their cage or underneath it. This method may cause condensation within the tank, so look out for that and clean up afterwards. Replace the two freezer tiles with each other when one loses its cooling powers.






Here is what they sell at pet stores marked up slightly higher than hardware stores :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000A7707O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524225481&sr=8-1&keywords=chinchilla+tile





Also, your gerbils will pee on the tile often. Easy to clean up. I've noticed gerbils like to pee on smooth surfaces. If you put an empty mason jar in one corner of the cage, and clean it out 2+ times a day, they will learn to pee in that Mason jar instead of on the tile. Potty Trained gerbils!

Destroying is the whole point of a gerbil's existence! Also never underestimate the power of a toilet paper roll. Good for both chewing and tunneling. The best tunnel is one that he's made himself, so lots of materials for digging and such is good. Here's a few links to some tunnels my gerbil has enjoyed.

https://www.amazon.ca/Living-World-Chew-nels-Alfalfa-Medium/dp/B004ZP9SB8

https://www.amazon.ca/Living-World-Tree-House-Large/dp/B00CE8SOIQ/

https://www.amazon.ca/eCotrition-Large-Activity-Guinea-Rabbits/dp/B000FTEQA6/

I use this brand of chinchilla sand and it works great. I put it in a pie tin and let the gerbils have fun in it either when I let them out of their tank to play or put it in there for a short time.

I've got this wheel for my two little friends and it's remarkably quiet:
http://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Natural-Living-exercise-wheel/dp/B0057FZ9AO?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

It runs on an axle with ball bearings. At first I thought the wheel would have too much mass, but in the evenings one of our two gerbils tends to go full throttle in it.


Also, gerbils like some privacy and some hiding places. Wooden houses or hollowed out coconuts are great. Mine gnawed away the ropes on this one: http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-62801-Naturals-Hideaway/dp/B007PO3AEC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00 (bet they were really surprised when the coconut met gravity), so I replaced the upper rope (to suspend it from their ceiling) with a ball chain.

I've also found they enjoy lying in the morning sunlight, so you might want to place the tank somewhere it does get some direct sunlight some times of the day.

I've read before that corner digging is a learned behaviour and is related to stress (apparently it's common from gerbils brought from pet shops as they are often overcrowded). I had a gerbil who used to do that. I got her to stop by really going to town on enrichment. I would recommend getting a load of things to chew on, try blocking the corners with hanging chew toys and driftwood. I'll drop a few links below of things I found actually helpful, I've wasted a lot of money over the years on toys that they don't like so these are just the ones I recommend.

Here are some things that my gerbils go crazy for;

1. chew toys (this material in general they love, they also love wood with bark, avoid plain wood and fruit/coloured chews, never known a gerbil show interest in them and they end up getting tossed out with bedding) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Boredom-Breaker-Treat-Chain/dp/B00PUENT9U?ref_=Oct_BSellerS_471575031_44 - I'd remove the bell personally
   
   
2. boredom breakers https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Boredom-Breaker-Animal-Activity/dp/B002NKD0BG?ref_=Oct_BSellerS_471575031_0
   
   
3. This wheel (22cm) can easily be suspended from their ceiling with some metal wire and is a must have because it's so quiet. Couldn't recommend it enough.
   https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Wooden-Wheel-22-cm/dp/B008H2VA6G?ref_=Oct_CABSellerC_13755519031_2&pf_rd_p=3e28c275-fcd8-5699-9995-a5ba5528b63f&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-6&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_i=13755519031&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=SNRAXCADSZQJ00MTTZSX&pf_rd_r=SNRAXCADSZQJ00MTTZSX&pf_rd_p=3e28c275-fcd8-5699-9995-a5ba5528b63f
   
   Hope that helps!
   
   If some corner scratching persists, don't worry, sometimes that just happens. Hopefully they'll grow out of it!

Thanks! It's the Trixie natural living wheel on Amazon - fingers crossed it will be put to good use! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natural-Living-Exercise-Diameter/dp/B0057FZ9AO

this is the stuff we generally use. i'm cool with throwing some hay in there. i like giving him some different things to work with. thank you for the info. i'll check out the timothy hay.

we made one out of a wire cage with a detachable plastic bottom, like this one but with a few extra floors. if the size is right it just sits on top of the tank. i can post a picture if you'd like!

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

those fancy wire clips they have for laundry / hipster chip bags

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[This] (http://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Hamster-Silent-Spinner-Exercise/dp/B000A7DFUU) is the best type of wheel. If you have a different type, there could be several problems. For example, their tails can get caught in a metal wheel, and they can get sick from chewing on the plastic of a thinner wheel. I recommend getting the type above if you can because it is deeper in the bottom which will help the gerbils from slipping out. Keep in mind that there could be other things going on too which are making your gerbil grumpy. Gerbils love to claim items as their own. Perhaps the grumpy gerbil rubbed her scent on the wheel and is angry that you didn't respect her territory.
Edit: link

I use Gerri Gerbil food from Supreme. Hamster foods have more sugars than gerbils need so I stay away from mixes labeled for both.

https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Gerri-Premium-Gerbil-Food/dp/B00008432E

Oxbow Animal Health Healthy Handfuls Hamster and Gerbil Fortified Small Animal Feeds, 1-Pound

Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053SYJVA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fw30xb52FZEPW

a d clip should hold his cage door shut. you might want to go with one of those fancy wire clips they have for laundry / hipster chip bags (just make sure it doesn't have a coating on it that he could chew off).

he is bored; bored as fuck. give him shit to do / think about:

get him lots of safe things to chew, lots of stuff to tunnel with, change out a toy each day, see if the wheel can attach to the bars & move it so it can't get filled (though some gerbils just don't like wheels), get some gerbil playpens & a sheet or something & shape it into mazes / interesting terrain with tunnels he can explore, add a bit of variety to their diet/treats rotation (look up what's safe on the sidebar's links), teach him tricks, introduce him to new scents.

dunno about introducing another gerb, i never had to deal with that. i did see someone using a soft, childrens' toothbrush to simulate another gerbil grooming their pet. give him a treat and pet him with the bristles a bit, see how he likes it.

Oh I see what you mean! Yeah it has a decent sized stand you can kinda see below it half covered in bedding, got this one Trixie Wooden Wheel, 22 cm https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008H2VA6G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_K1m5Bb46GPAZ8 taken them a good while.to chew through but they are getting there, had it for maybe 6 months now?

I bought multiple playpen fences like this and just linked them together to make a really big space: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SZSVCI/

I like Oxbow's: https://www.amazon.com/Oxbow-Animal-Essentials-Hamster-1-pound/dp/B0053SYJVA

You could get a piece of glass or acrylic cut and attach it to the glass with silicone sealant.

You could also build a wooden platform on legs, or buy one like these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Pet-Raw-Wooden-Platform/dp/B00422KYBM/ref=sr_1_15?crid=31Y0TLIV17CB1&keywords=wooden+platform+hamster&qid=1563914482&s=gateway&sprefix=wooden+platform+%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-15

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natural-Living-Shelter-30/dp/B000WFCFNI/ref=pd_sbs_199_1/259-0664693-9580769?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000WFCFNI&pd_rd_r=fee65e59-8291-45c6-9f3a-536606ede4ba&pd_rd_w=F9t4y&pd_rd_wg=VYmry&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=830ZW015KA0K5ZM0VB8R&psc=1&refRID=830ZW015KA0K5ZM0VB8R

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-62262-Natural-Living-Shelter/dp/B000WFFZ94/ref=pd_sbs_199_2/259-0664693-9580769?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000WFFZ94&pd_rd_r=fee65e59-8291-45c6-9f3a-536606ede4ba&pd_rd_w=F9t4y&pd_rd_wg=VYmry&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=830ZW015KA0K5ZM0VB8R&psc=1&refRID=830ZW015KA0K5ZM0VB8R

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natural-Living-Stairs-Animals/dp/B000V9H9XG/ref=pd_sbs_199_5/259-0664693-9580769?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000V9H9XG&pd_rd_r=9e15101b-e2b4-4e14-b701-f4ca2ca37403&pd_rd_w=nA1Qn&pd_rd_wg=6HJL2&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=TAQ6YXW2C1YQKS30Y5SD&psc=1&refRID=TAQ6YXW2C1YQKS30Y5SD

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PBM6WHW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502439063&sr=8-1&keywords=carefresh

I use this, or sometimes other brands depending on prices. Lots of clean cardboard gets shredded by my guys and mixes in with time. I also mix a little Timothy hay in, and provide more on the surface occasionally (but they can be allergic to hay as well).

Allergies are likely what you're seeing, which should clear up quickly once the allergen is removed. Is your current bedding Aspen?

Do consider other factors that could be bad for respiration and potentially allergens as well, such as smoke, cleaning products, scented things, etc.

We use this and our gerbils don't bite on it, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q8QKCGT

https://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Hamster-Silent-Spinner-Exercise/dp/B000A7DFUU

This is the wheel that he has so he could probably use a bigger one.

It seems easy to spin at least to me.

When he was in his temporary cage he had a wheel attached to it that he ran in so could he have just lost interest?

The reason I'm worried is because he does not get enough exercise and is a bit overweight now.

I buy this one, but same idea. Seriously, makes a big difference compared to kaytee
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PBM6WHW?pf_rd_p=731c2082-c3b6-4ec5-ba3b-337a0516607d&aaxitk=vAPiCNQq4XfQKatnGWBNWg&hsa_cr_id=4384742620501

https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Tiny-Friends-Chinchilla-Bathing/dp/B005OCXN1M/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=54129025137&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrfvsBRD7ARIsAKuDvMPew9xtwouOJR1MFqzwxoVITDnqR76qmI_DSP3q242Xnleue0B5nk0aAsikEALw_wcB&hvadid=274723852721&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9033356&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6621402770649031636&hvtargid=kwd-317896535195&hydadcr=8807_9904219&keywords=gerbil+sand&qid=1570717544&sr=8-3

This is the sand I buy for their litter

I have a dollar store, gerbil only sieve I use to sift out the Lil poops and re-use the sand a couple times.